Slide fastener stringer



Nov. 25, 1941. D. SILBERMAN SLIDE FASTENER STRINGER Filed Oct. 25, 1940 INVENTOR.

.DA vw 5 uasRMA/v TTORNFY tape Patented Nov. 25, 1941 UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE SLIDE FASTENER STRINGER David Silberman, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Lamar Slide Fastener Corporation, New York, N..Y., a corporation of New York Application October 25,1940, Serial No. 362,120

7 Claims.

This inventionrelates to slide fasteners of the typein which spaced interlocking members are .clampedonto the edge of fabric stringers.

It has long been recognized in the slide fastener art that the fabric of which the stringers are composed may easily be destroyed by the gripping jaws of the individual interlocking elements.

To prevent injury of the fabric and to also provide for a better grip of the interlocking elements on the stringers, the latter were made of heavy woven cotton and provided with beaded edges. Also, stringers were provided with a twisted or braided cord placed inside the fabric and the fastener elements were gripped onto the fabric adjacent the cord. In otherforms, for

- use with fine materials, the fastener elements were assembled. on'a cord in spaced relationship,

and assembled with the fabric so that the fastener elements projected through rectangular openings therein, but such stringer arrangements were weak, being less resistant to stress and wear than the other types.

In accordance with the present invention, a

fine cotton fabric is used, both edges of the fabric tape being provided with a braided or twisted cord, the cord being on the'outside of the fabric. The fastener members are shaped in such a manner that .their fabric-engaging jaws firmly grip the two cords on the fabric, thus, the fine woven fabric tape is not injured, since the forces exerted by the fastener members are more evenly distributed'onto the stringer,

In the preferred arrangement, the fine fabric of which the stringer is composed is folded about to form a closed-edged tape. In a modified form, a stiffener element is interposed within the folded It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a slide fastener construction which overcomes the above mentioned difficulties and drawbacks inherent in prior devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide a slide fastener construction wherein the finely woven fabric tape is provided with two cords arranged along the outside edges of the tape.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. slide fastener construction which can be readily manufactured, and which .will not injure even fabric, as folded.

ure 2, showing a modified-construction of the stringer tape. Figure 'l is a transverse sectional view taken on the line'1-.'| of Figure 6.-

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 5 ,of the drawing, the fabric strip, indicated at iii,

delicate stringer fabrics required for use with delicate apparel, as for example, womens underwear.

These and further objects of the present invention will become more evident in the following description taken in connection with the drawing, in which is of any suitable material, such as fine cotton As shown in Figure 1, fabric strip Ill is folded along central line It to form two opfabric.

posed sections-Rand II. The outer ends l4 and ii of. fabric in, are folded inwardly, alongythe lines It and i1 respectively. As shown in Figures. 2 and 3, the folded fabric comprises four superposed layers at the edge portions 16 and II. The folded tape has no open end.

V Twocords l8. and is, which may be braided or. twisted, are respectively arranged on the outer edges, 16 and ll of the. folded fabric. Cords II and 19 may be attached to the fabric "in a continuous operation as by. stitching the cord onto the fabric ill with thread 20. An unlimited length of'tape andcord may be thus secured together in a continuous mannr,-,forming afirm, closed-edged tape.

Figures 4 and 5 show fastener members 22 attached in spaced relationship on the cords l8 and i9. Each fastener element 22 is provided with a recess 23 and a corresponding projection 24, as is known to those skilled in the art. Fastener elements 22 are provided with an opening 25 and with two similar extensions 26 and 21 forming fabric-engaging jaws. Opening 25 of fastener member 22 is shaped to firmly grip cords l8 and I9, as is shown in Figure 5. Extensions 26 and is evenly distributed. Thrr d 20 securing the cordsunto the fabric l0, transmits and distributes the stress exerted by the cords l8 and I! along fabric l0. Injury to the fabric is thus inhibited. The closed-edge stringer section may be secured onto a garment in the usual manner. The resultant stringer is as serviceable as any stringer of the prior art made of strong fabric. The advantages of the construction of the invention permit weaker fabrics and generally decorative material to be used as the stringer tape.

Where thin or relatively weak material is used. more folds may be employed than illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 In accordance with a modified form of the invention, a reenforcing strip is inserted within the edgeless stringer construction. This form of the invention is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. The stiffening strip 30 is inserted within the folds l4 and I5 and may extend between the central bent-over edge I l and the sewed edges I6, I! adjacent cords I8, IS. The assembly may be constructed in a continuous manner on a suitable stitching machine. The cords l8 and I! are secured to the fabric strip as described hereinabove to form a continuous rigid and flexible stringer tape, and interlocking elements 22 are assembled thereon.

Reenforcing strip 30 is preferably a fabric, coated with a plastic material to render it stiffer. The coating for strip 30 is preferably of an adhesive nature to firmly grip the adjacent edges of fabric l0 and constitute a smooth resultant tape. The plastic or adhesive coating used on strip 30 thus serves to stiffen the resultant stringer and also adhesively bind the component elements thereof. The adhesive action may be developed by heat or pressure as preferred.

Various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction of the invention described without departing from the broader spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A slide fastener comprising a stringer of a fabric strip folded lengthwise, the free edge portions thereof being folded inwardly to produce a folded fabric having four superposed layers on the edge section thereof, a cord secured at the outside of each of said inwardly folded edges, and a plurality of fastener members having jaws gripped over the corded edges of the strip.

2. A fastener structure of the slide operated type comprising an outwardly closed stringer of a fabric strip folded along its length with the free edgesthereof folded inwardly lengthwiseto form reenforced edge portions, a cord respectively secured to each of said inwardly folded reenforced edges, and a plurality of fastener elements provided with jaws clamped over said cords, whereby said'cords form a gripping and reenforcing surface for thefastener elements.

3. A fastener structure of the slide operated type comprising a closed edged stringer of a fabric strip folded lengthwise, the free edges of said folded strip being again folded inwardly to form reenforced edge portions, two cords secured by stitches on opposed outer sides of said inwardly folded reenforced edges to form a beaded tape, and a plurality of fastener elements provided with jaws gripped over said cords and having rounded projections extending symmetrically above and below the plane of said stringer to enclose said cords.

4. A slide fastener comprising a stringer of a fabric strip folded along its length, the free edge portions thereof being folded inwardly and parallel to said first fold to produce an edge section of the folded fabric having four superposed layers, a reenforcing strip interposed and extending longitudinally within said folded stringer, two cords secured at opposed outer sides of said inwardly folded edges, and a plurality of fastener elements having U-shaped jaws spacedly gripped along said stringer edge on said cords.

5; A fastener structure of the slide operated 'type comprising a closed edged stringer of a fabric strip folded longitudinally, the free edges of said folded strip being again folded inwardly lengthwise of the stringer to form reenforced edge portions, a coated stiffening member extending longitudinally of said stringer and positioned intermediate the inwardly folded portions thereof, and fastener elements spacedly gripped along said stringer at the inwardly folded edge portions.

6. A slide fastener comprising a stringer of a relatively weak fabric strip folded along its length, the free edge portions thereof being folded inwardly and parallel to said first fold to produce an edge section of the folded fabric having four superposed layers, an adhesively coated reenforcing strip interposed and extending longitudinally within said inwardly folded stringer, two cords secured at opposed outer sides of said folded edges, and -a plurality of f-: or elements having U-shaped jaws spacedly gripped along said stringer edge on said cords whereby an integrated multi-layer stringer with negligible stress on the fabric thereof is effected.

7. A fastener structure of the slide operated type comprising an outwardly closed stringer of a relatively weak fabric strip folded along its length with the free edges thereof folded inwardly lengthwise to form reenforced edge portions, a cord respectively secured to each of said inwardly folded reenforced edges by stitching to form a tape with closed edges, and a plurality of fastener elements provided with jaws clamped over said cords, whereby said cords form a gripping and reenforcing surface for the fastener elements.

DAVID SILBERMAN. 

